Librarian Linked to Reading Achievement In this section, we have provided summaries of some of the important impact studies that have been conducted over the last twenty years. There are many, many more studies that have been conducted but they all agree on the same fundamental principal; librarians positively impact student performance on standardized reading tests. Below, we have provided the findings from Colorado, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Alaska. We have also provided annotations from other experts on the importance of librarians and their role as instructional partner. The 1993 Colorado impact study conducted by Keith Curry Lance:
In 1993, Keith Curry Lancy conducted a study of Colorado school libraries hoping to find a correlation between quality library programs and student achievement. His finding surprised everyone! He found that there is indeed a connection between librarians and student achievement. He found several characteristics of library programs that affect student achievemenet. First, the best school predictor of academic achievement is the size of the library program, that is, the amount of full time qualified staff as well as the size of the collection. He also found that the instructional role of the librarian is important as well as the degree of collaboration that occurs between the librarian and classroom teachers (Lance, np).
Lance's findings answered these three major questions.
Is there a relationship between expenditures for library media centers and test performance, particularly when social and economic differences across communities and schools are controlled? Yes. Students at schools with better-funded library media centers tend to achieve higher average reading scores, whether their schools and communities are rich or poor and whether adults in their community are well or poorly educated.
Given a relationship between library media center expenditures and test performance, what intervening characteristics of library media programs help to explain this relationship? The size of the library media center's total staff and the size and variety of its collection are important characteristics of library media programs that intervene between library media center expenditures and test performance. Funding is important precisely because its specific purpose is to ensure both adequate levels of staffing in relation to the school's enrollment and a local collection that offers students a large number of materials in a variety of formats.
Does the performance of an instructional role by library media specialists help to predict test performance? Yes. Students whose library media specialists played such a role tended to achieve higher average test scores.” (Lance, np)
The 2010 Colorado impact study conducted by Keith Curry Lancy and associates.
In 2010 a third Colorado impact study was performed using data from the Library Research Service’s 07-08 annual survey of school libraries and the Colorado Department of Education’s CSAP data for 2008. The study found: “For elementary schools with at least one full-time endorsed librarian, the percentage of third, fourth, and fifth grade students scoring proficient or advanced in reading is consistently higher than for school with lower staffing levels” (Francis and Lance, 64).
It also found that,“schools with more librarian staffing also tend to have lower percentage of students scoring unsatisfactory in reading” (Francis and Lance, 64). Perhaps the most important finding is the possible impact the library can have on lower achieving students. “The fact that proportional differences associated with unsatisfactory scores are so dramatic suggests that a well-staffed library can be especially important for the neediest students. These results indicate that school library staffing can play and important role in narrowing the achievement gap” (Francis and Lance, 65).
The 2010 study also reinforced the role of the librarian as an instructional partner. Lancy found that a librarian's role as leader and collaborator also impacted test scores in the elementary and middle schools. This includes meeting regularly with the principal and serving on curriculum committees, collaborating with teachers, and providing in-service training for teachers (Lance, Rodney, Hamilton-Pennell).
“The importance of a collaborative approach to information literacy was reiterated in this study. Evidence revealed that test scores were higher in elementary and middle schools in which library media specialists and teachers worked together” (Burgin and Bracy, 12).
All three Colorado studies were able to negate the affects of poverty and family educational background on student achievement (Burgin and Bracey, 13).
The North Carolina study conducted by Burgin and Bracy:
Building off of the Lancy findings, Bugin and Bracy conducted similar studies in North Carolina. It was again found that, “school library programs in North Carolina elementary, middle school, and high schools have a significant impact on student achievement – as measured by scores on standardized reading and English tests” (Burgin and Bracy, 4).
Similary to the Colorado studies, it was found that reading tests scores tended to increase when school libraries:
Were staffed more hours during the school week
Were open more hours during the school week
Had newer books
Spent more money per 100 students on books and other print materials like magazines and newspapers
Spent more money per 100 students on electronic access to information (e.g., online database searching, Internet access)
Were more likely to subscribe to online periodical services
Were more likely to subscribe to CD ROM services
(Burgin and Bracy, 51)
Alaska and Pennsylvania
"In today's schools, the LMS is not only the manager of the LMC, but also an advocate for information literacy with the principal, at faculty meetings, and in standards and curriculum committee meetings. In addition to being an advocate, the LMS is a trainer who provides in-service programs for teachers on resource-based learning, integrating information literacy into the curriculum, and getting the most out of technology, as well as teaching students" (Proof of the Power n.p.)
In Alaska, Lance found that students score higher on standardized state test if the following elements are in place. *adequate staffing hours per week of professional librarian *collaborative planning with teachers *more time spent teaching information literacy *librarian providing in-service training to teachers *collection development policies that address book challenges *Computers with Internet access *positive relationship with local public library
In Pennsylavania, Lance found that reading scores were impacted by the following... *More hours of licenced library staff *More library expenditures *Larger collections *Computers with Internet and database access *Collaborative teaching/planning with teachers to integrate information literacy into curriculum (Proof of the Power n.p)
Works Cited Burgin, Robert, and Pauletta Brown Bracy. "An Essential Connection: How Quality School Library Media Programs Improve Student Achievement in North Carolina." Web. June 2003. http://www.rburgin.com/ncschools2003/NCSchoolStudy.pdf
Francis, Briana, and Keith Lance. "The Impact Of Library Media Specialists On Students And How It Is Valued By Administrators And Teachers: Findings From The Latest Studies In Colorado And Idaho." Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning 55.4 (2011): 63-70. Academic Search Complete. Web. 8 Mar. 2013.
Lance, Keith Curry, and Marcia J Rodney, and Christine Hamilton-Pennell. "How School Librarians Help Kids Achieve Standards: The Second Colorado Study, executive summary." Web. April 2000. <http://www.lrs.org/documents/lmcstudies/CO/execsumm.pdf>
Lance, Keith Curry, and Syracuse, NY. ERIC Clearinghouse on Information and Technology. Proof Of The Power: Recent Research On The Impact Of School Library Media Programs On The Academic Achievement Of U.S. Public School Students. ERIC Digest. n.p.: 2001. ERIC. Web. 26 Apr. 2013.
Librarian as Instructional Partner/Leadership Role
This study examines the perceptions of Virginia school principals and their understanding of the roles of school library media specialists. Principals have tended to have a more traditional view of the role of library specialists as the person responsible for selecting, organizing, and circulating materials within the library setting. More principals are recognizing the importance of the roles library media specialist can have as leaders by their initiating and facilitating collaborative relationships with teachers. With library media specialists participating as instructional partners through planning, collaboration, and teaching information literacy skills, it was found student achievement improved. The study found principals supported the notion that library media specialist be leaders and provide staff development, should evaluate student work along with teachers, and should play an active role in the school improvement process. It was noted that principals are understanding the library media specialist's ability to serve in leadership positions in the schools and the influence they can have as leaders.
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Librarian Linked to Reading Achievement
In this section, we have provided summaries of some of the important impact studies that have been conducted over the last twenty years. There are many, many more studies that have been conducted but they all agree on the same fundamental principal; librarians positively impact student performance on standardized reading tests. Below, we have provided the findings from Colorado, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Alaska. We have also provided annotations from other experts on the importance of librarians and their role as instructional partner.
The 1993 Colorado impact study conducted by Keith Curry Lance:
In 1993, Keith Curry Lancy conducted a study of Colorado school libraries hoping to find a correlation between quality library programs and student achievement. His finding surprised everyone! He found that there is indeed a connection between librarians and student achievement. He found several characteristics of library programs that affect student achievemenet. First, the best school predictor of academic achievement is the size of the library program, that is, the amount of full time qualified staff as well as the size of the collection. He also found that the instructional role of the librarian is important as well as the degree of collaboration that occurs between the librarian and classroom teachers
(Lance, np).
Lance's findings answered these three major questions.
The 2010 Colorado impact study conducted by Keith Curry Lancy and associates.
In 2010 a third Colorado impact study was performed using data from the Library Research Service’s 07-08 annual survey of school libraries and the Colorado Department of Education’s CSAP data for 2008. The study found: “For elementary schools with at least one full-time endorsed librarian, the percentage of third, fourth, and fifth grade students scoring proficient or advanced in reading is consistently higher than for school with lower staffing levels” (Francis and Lance, 64).
It also found that,“schools with more librarian staffing also tend to have lower percentage of students scoring unsatisfactory in reading” (Francis and Lance, 64). Perhaps the most important finding is the possible impact the library can have on lower achieving students. “The fact that proportional differences associated with unsatisfactory scores are so dramatic suggests that a well-staffed library can be especially important for the neediest students. These results indicate that school library staffing can play and important role in narrowing the achievement gap” (Francis and Lance, 65).
The 2010 study also reinforced the role of the librarian as an instructional partner. Lancy found that a librarian's role as leader and collaborator also impacted test scores in the elementary and middle schools. This includes meeting regularly with the principal and serving on curriculum committees, collaborating with teachers, and providing in-service training for teachers (Lance, Rodney, Hamilton-Pennell).
“The importance of a collaborative approach to information literacy was reiterated in this study. Evidence revealed that test scores were higher in elementary and middle schools in which library media specialists and teachers worked together” (Burgin and Bracy, 12).
All three Colorado studies were able to negate the affects of poverty and family educational background on student achievement (Burgin and Bracey, 13).
The North Carolina study conducted by Burgin and Bracy:
Building off of the Lancy findings, Bugin and Bracy conducted similar studies in North Carolina. It was again found that, “school library programs in North Carolina elementary, middle school, and high schools have a significant impact on student achievement – as measured by scores on standardized reading and English tests” (Burgin and Bracy, 4).
Similary to the Colorado studies, it was found that reading tests scores tended to increase when school libraries:
- Were staffed more hours during the school week
- Were open more hours during the school week
- Had newer books
- Spent more money per 100 students on books and other print materials like magazines and newspapers
- Spent more money per 100 students on electronic access to information (e.g., online database searching, Internet access)
- Were more likely to subscribe to online periodical services
- Were more likely to subscribe to CD ROM services
(Burgin and Bracy, 51)Alaska and Pennsylvania
"In today's schools, the LMS is not only the manager of the LMC, but also an advocate for information literacy with the principal, at faculty meetings, and in standards and curriculum committee meetings. In addition to being an advocate, the LMS is a trainer who provides in-service programs for teachers on resource-based learning, integrating information literacy into the curriculum, and getting the most out of technology, as well as teaching students" (Proof of the Power n.p.)
In Alaska, Lance found that students score higher on standardized state test if the following elements are in place.
*adequate staffing hours per week of professional librarian
*collaborative planning with teachers
*more time spent teaching information literacy
*librarian providing in-service training to teachers
*collection development policies that address book challenges
*Computers with Internet access
*positive relationship with local public library
In Pennsylavania, Lance found that reading scores were impacted by the following...
*More hours of licenced library staff
*More library expenditures
*Larger collections
*Computers with Internet and database access
*Collaborative teaching/planning with teachers to integrate information literacy into curriculum
(Proof of the Power n.p)
Works Cited
Burgin, Robert, and Pauletta Brown Bracy. "An Essential Connection: How Quality School Library Media Programs Improve Student Achievement in North Carolina." Web. June 2003. http://www.rburgin.com/ncschools2003/NCSchoolStudy.pdf
Francis, Briana, and Keith Lance. "The Impact Of Library Media Specialists On Students And How It Is Valued By Administrators And Teachers: Findings From The Latest Studies In Colorado And Idaho." Techtrends: Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning 55.4 (2011): 63-70. Academic Search Complete. Web. 8 Mar. 2013.
Lance, Keith Curry. "The Impact of School Library Media Centers on Academic Achievement." School Library Media Quarterly 22, no. 3 (Spring 1994): 167-170, 172. http://www.ala.org/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/editorschoiceb/infopower/slctlancehtml
Lance, Keith Curry, and Marcia J Rodney, and Christine Hamilton-Pennell. "How School Librarians Help Kids Achieve Standards: The Second Colorado Study, executive summary." Web. April 2000. <http://www.lrs.org/documents/lmcstudies/CO/execsumm.pdf>
Lance, Keith Curry, and Syracuse, NY. ERIC Clearinghouse on Information and Technology. Proof Of The Power: Recent Research On The Impact Of School Library Media Programs On The Academic Achievement Of U.S. Public School Students. ERIC Digest. n.p.: 2001. ERIC. Web. 26 Apr. 2013.
Librarian as Instructional Partner/Leadership Role
Church, Audrey P. "The Instructional Role of the Library Media Specialist as Perceived by Elementary School Principals." School Library Media Research 11 (2008). http://www.ala.org/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/slmrcontents/volume11/church
This study examines the perceptions of Virginia school principals and their understanding of the roles of school library media specialists. Principals have tended to have a more traditional view of the role of library specialists as the person responsible for selecting, organizing, and circulating materials within the library setting. More principals are recognizing the importance of the roles library media specialist can have as leaders by their initiating and facilitating collaborative relationships with teachers. With library media specialists participating as instructional partners through planning, collaboration, and teaching information literacy skills, it was found student achievement improved. The study found principals supported the notion that library media specialist be leaders and provide staff development, should evaluate student work along with teachers, and should play an active role in the school improvement process. It was noted that principals are understanding the library media specialist's ability to serve in leadership positions in the schools and the influence they can have as leaders.